Voting in Ohio

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Election Information
2024 election dates and deadlines
Voting in 2024
Voter registration
Early voting
Absentee/mail-in voting
All-mail voting
Voter ID laws
State poll opening and closing times
Time off work for voting

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Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its voting policies.

The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.

This article includes the following information about voting policies in Ohio:

Click here for more information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, post-election auditing practices, and additional election policy context.

For information on elections happening this year, click here.

Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.

Voter registration

The table below displays voter registration information specific to Ohio's 2025 election cycle. For more detailed information about eligibility requirements, click here.

Voter registration in Ohio: May 6, 2025, election.

Can people register to vote online? If so, what is the link?

Can voters check their registration status online? If so, what is the link?

Can voters update their registration online? If so, what is the link?

What is the deadline for registering in person?

April 7, 2025

What is the deadline for registering by mail?

April 7, 2025

Is the mail-in registration deadline a postmark or receipt deadline?

Postmarked

What is the online registration deadline, if available?

April 7, 2025

Is Election Day registration available?

No

Is same-day registration available during early voting?

N/A


Eligibility and registration details

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in Ohio, an applicant must be a United States citizen, a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days before the election, and at least 18 years old by the day of the election. Individuals who are incarcerated for a felony conviction, have been declared by a court to be incompetent for voting purposes, or have been permanently disenfranchised may not register to vote.[1]

Applicants may register to vote online, in person, or by mail. The Ohio Voter Registration and Information Update Form is available online and can be requested by mail. In-person voter registration is available at various locations including the secretary of state and board of elections offices, Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles offices, public libraries and high schools, and other state agencies. A full list of locations is available here.

The deadline to register to vote is 30 days before the next election. An Ohio driver’s license number, state ID card number, or the last four digits of a SSN is required in order to register to vote or update a voter registration.[2][3]

In-person voting

The table below displays in-person voting information specific to Ohio's 2025 election cycle. For more detailed information about in-person voting requirements, click here.

In-person voting in Ohio: May 6, 2025, election.

Are all voters required to show ID?

Yes

What kinds of ID are accepted?

Ohio driver's license Ohio state ID Ohio BMV-issued interim ID form U.S. passport U.S. passport card U.S. military ID Ohio National Guard ID U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID

Where can voters learn more about the state's voter ID requirements?

When does early voting start?

April 8, 2025

When does early voting end?

May 4, 2025

Where can I find early voting locations?

Is weekend voting available?

N/A

Where can voters learn more about early voting?

What are the poll times on Election Day?

6:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. (EDT)

Where can I find voting locations?


Poll times

See also: State poll opening and closing times

In Ohio, all polling places are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Voters who are in line at 7:30 p.m. are permitted to vote.[4]


Voter identification

See also: Voter identification laws by state

Ohio requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[5]

The following list of accepted ID was current as of April 2023. Click here for the Ohio Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

  • Ohio driver's license;
  • State of Ohio ID card;
  • Interim ID form issued by the Ohio BMV;
  • A US passport;
  • A US passport card;
  • US military ID card;
  • Ohio National Guard ID card; or
  • US Department of Veterans Affairs ID card

All photo IDs must have the following:

  • An expiration date that has not passed;
  • A photograph of the voter;
  • The voter’s name, which must substantially conform to the voter’s name as it appears in the Poll List or in the Poll Book[6]

Early voting

See also: Early voting

Ohio permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.


Absentee/mail-in voting

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

The table below displays absentee/mail-in voting information specific to Ohio's 2025 election cycle. For more detailed information about absentee/mail-in voting requirements, click here.

Absentee voting in Ohio: May 6, 2025, election.

Are there limits on who can request a ballot?

No

What is the deadline for requesting a ballot by mail?

April 29, 2025

Is the request deadline a postmark or receipt deadline?

Received

What is the deadline for returning a voted ballot by mail?

May 5, 2025

Is the return deadline a postmark or receipt deadline?

Postmarked

Are there notary or witness requirements?

N/A


All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Ohio. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[7]

Absentee ballots may be requested for each individual election beginning on January 1, or 90 days before the date of an election, whichever is earlier. The request must be received by the local county board of elections by the close of business on the seventh day before the election. A returned absentee ballot must then be postmarked at least one day before Election Day and received by the elections board no later than 4 days after the election.[7][8]


Local election officials


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Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.


Voting rules for people convicted of a felony

See also: Voting rights for people convicted of a felony

In Ohio, people convicted of a felony automatically regain their voting rights after serving their prison time. People who have committed two or more felony offenses violating state election laws are ineligible to regain their right vote. According to the secretary of state's office, "The voter registration of a person who is incarcerated on a felony conviction is cancelled; once that person has completed his or her jail or prison sentence, or is on probation, parole or community control, he or she must re-register to vote by the registration deadline before voting."[1]

Voting rights for convicted felons vary from state to state. In the majority of states, convicted felons cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[9]


Election administration agencies

Election agencies

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See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Ohio can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Ohio County Boards of Elections

Click here for a list

Ohio Secretary of State, Elections Division

180 Civic Center Dr.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: 614-466-2585
Toll free: 1-877-767-6446
Website: https://www.sos.state.oh.us

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 301-563-3919
Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
Website: https://www.eac.gov


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State of Election Administration Legislation Reports

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See also

Elections in Ohio


External links

Footnotes